


Stuck.

by kihoseok



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Could be seen as platonic, Cuddling & Snuggling, Derek is a sweetheart, Gen, M/M, Other, Sensory Overload, Spencer is afraid of the dark, autistic!Reid
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-06
Updated: 2016-10-06
Packaged: 2018-08-19 19:31:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 776
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8222323
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kihoseok/pseuds/kihoseok
Summary: He wasn't sure what was so off tonight, normally he could sleep fine in the dark if he focused enough, running through equations until the lull of exhaustion caught up with him. Maybe it was that the hotel reeked of cleaner, or that the hotel lamp as was just barely too bright for him to fall asleep. Maybe it was the couple arguing in the room next to him, maybe it was the man in the room above him that wouldn't stop singing. Spencer didn't know.
He did know, however, that it was definitely, most certainly, assuredly not because he wasn't sharing a room with Derek.





	

Spencer hated the dark.

Yes, he knew darkness was only a result of visible protons, yes, he knew it was silly to be scared of protons, but that didn't help. The dark was suffocating, oppressing his ears and obscuring his vision. He feared a killer was lurking around every corner, criminals around every bend, and with every brush of that far-too-close tree to his hotel window he jumped in his bed. He wasn't sure what was so off tonight, normally he could sleep fine in the dark if he focused enough, running through equations until the lull of exhaustion caught up with him. Maybe it was that the hotel reeked of cleaner, or that the hotel lamp as was just barely too bright for him to fall asleep. Maybe it was the couple arguing in the room next to him, maybe it was the man in the room above him that wouldn't stop singing. Spencer didn't know.

He did know, however, that it was definitely, most certainly, assuredly not because he wasn't sharing a room with Derek. 

It wasn't that he was dependent on the man, god Spencer hated that term, it was just that he was used to his presence. Derek was always by his side, always there to comfort him when things got too much and JJ always arranged it so they had a room together. Only tonight, they were stuck with single rooms and Spencer was stuck. He was stuck because the sheets felt too harsh, but without them he didn't have that perfect amount of pressure around him. He was stuck because the room was too hot but too cold and everything was just a tad too loud. He was stuck because the man singing the melancholy tune above him began crying and it made Spencer's skin fell just wrong. He was stuck because the dark was suffocating him and he couldn't even look out from his pillow without the crippling fear of something being out there to snatch him up in the dark. He was stuck because the couple next to him were shouting- and fuck someone just threw something- and all logic was out the window. He threw his blankets off and almost tripped over his own feet as he scrambled for the door because fuck it he needed Derek.

Luckily, Derek's room was right next to his and almost the moment Spencer's shaking hands hit the door to knock Derek pulled it open, leading Spencer to collapse inside and promptly burst into tears. 

Derek asked if he could hold him and Spencer nodded fervently because god he just needed to be touched and held and told everything was gonna be alright. Derek slowly wrapped his arms around him and rocked him back and forth, picking him up gently and cradling him as he sat down on the bed and held Spencer as he cried into Morgan's shirt and held it with a white knuckle grip that would have bothered Derek if it had been anyone else. 

"D-Derek I-I'm sorry I-" Spencer stammered but he was cut off.

"Don't be sorry, just focus on me okay? Everything's okay. Do you need anything?" He asked, rubbing small circles into Spencer's back with his thumb. 

"W-water," Spencer rasped, clutching onto Derek harder when he shifted to get up. "No," he pleaded, desperate eyes gazing into Morgan's. "Please don't leave me."

"I have to if you want water darling, but I'll make you a deal, I get up and get you water and you make your pretty self comfortable wherever you want, and I'll stay with you for the rest of the night, okay?" Spencer swallowed, closing his eyes.

"Okay."

 

Derek's sheets were nice, they smelled like him and Spencer guessed were washed with a different detergent because they felt softer, calmer on his skin than his sheets from his room.

Or maybe it was just Derek.

Derek came back, smiling as he saw Spencer curled up in the bed, snuggling the blankets.

"Hey, Pretty Boy, I got you your water," Derek smiled again as Spencer say up, downing the cup in an impressive amount of time. 

"Thank you," Spencer gasped, handing the cup back to Derek and after it was put on the nightstand, Derek sank down into the bed with Spencer.

Spencer latched onto Derek immediately, loving the way his chest reverberated with a deep chuckle the echoed through Spencer's veins. Derek kissed Spencer's forehead and the boy smiled as he snuggled into Derek's arms, enveloped in the warmth and care of the older man.

"I love you, kid."

"I love you too."

And suddenly, all was right in the world.


End file.
